Sixers have lowered expectations for this season. They’re not relevant in the city sports scene now.

What is it going to take before the 76ers realize enough is enough?

Can it be any clearer that this franchise has underachieved and could be facing another disappointing season?

The team has lowered expectations since the start of last season. This time last year, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was discussing championship aspirations. He kept that hope alive through last season’s trade deadline, but the team ultimately lost 28 of its final 32 games.

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When asked about this season’s outlook, though, Morey took a different approach.

“Look, collectively — and this has been great messaging from Coach on to our veteran leaders and on down — we’re talking about just winning the day,” he said on Sept. 26. “One percent better every day is the Tyrese [Maxey] phrase that he uses. We realize we’re in the prove-it phase.

“I don’t think it really matters what we’re saying up here and our expectations at this point. We just need to go out there and prove it, be better every day, and show the city and show the fans that we’re back in the conversation.”

But Morey didn’t give Paul George a four-year, $211.5 million max contract on July 6, 2024, so the Sixers could talk about “just winning the day.” Ditto for Joel Embiid’s three-year, $192 max-contract extension last September and Maxey’s five-year, $203.8 million max contract last summer.

They locked up all three players to form one of the league’s best Big Threes for seasons to come. They did it to position themselves better to win their first NBA championship since 1983.

An inability to advance past the second round after several postseason appearances led to Doc Rivers and Brett Brown being relieved of their coaching duties.

However, the Sixers suffered a first-round playoff exit after advancing through the Play-In Tournament during Nick Nurse’s inaugural season in 2023-24. Last season, they missed the postseason completely, opting instead to tank in the final months.

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In the process, the Sixers have fallen significantly behind the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles and the National League East champion Phillies in the city’s sports relevance. Even after Sunday’s 18-17 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Eagles (4-1) remain early favorites to win a second straight Super Bowl title. The Phillies trail the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0, in the National League Division Series.

“All of us are hungry to show the city what we can do,” Morey said. “Again, we know that last season wasn’t one that we can be proud of, and we want the city to be proud of us again. I walk around Center City every day, I see the excitement of the Eagles, I see the Phillies [in the] playoffs. This offseason was about working every day to get ourselves back to being in those conversations. We’re excited about the guys we’ve added. We’re excited about the key things we’ve done this summer from a roster standpoint.

“But we know we’re at the point where we’ve got to go out there and show it. No one’s really interested in anything until we can turn the page, put a lot of wins up on the board, and show the city that we’re the 76ers everyone knows we can be.”

Quentin Grimes, a starting candidate at shooting guard, signed a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to return this season on Wednesday. The Sixers also signed Trendon Watford to a two-year, $5.2 million contract on July 6. They added Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, and Hunter Sallis via two-way contracts. And they drafted VJ Edgecombe (third overall) in the first round and Johni Broome (35th) in June.

“Daryl mentions the youth that we have,” Nurse said. “I think we’ve talked about being a little more athletic, a little faster, a little younger, a little quicker up and down the floor. Maintaining a style of play. No matter who’s in and who’s out, the next guy’s got to plug in there and be able to fit in with the system.

“We need to run better. I know it sounds kind of basic, but we need to be able to run back better so we can get our defense set. We need to be able to use that same speed and quickness to push forward better. You know the defense we play is kind of pressure-based and certainly turnover-based.”

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But none of that will matter unless Embiid and George show that their injured left knees are healthy. Embiid played in just 19 games last season after playing in 39 the previous year. George made 41 appearances last season, and his status for the Oct. 22 season opener at Boston is in question after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee on July 14.

“I think you heard from them — and this is straight from the doctors — we’re not getting into the expectations game,” Morey said. “The doctors’ advice and what Joel said is listening to his body, which is a big component in how doctors manage injuries. That’s going to be what carries the day this year.”

Even if they’re healthy, the Sixers still might have a tough time in what is supposed to be a wide-open Eastern Conference.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are regarded as the conference’s best teams. The Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks also are expected to finish ahead of the Sixers.

And while the Sixers boast about their offseason additions, they don’t compare to what better teams did.

The Knicks (Jordan Clarkson, former Sixer Guerschon Yabusele, Malcolm Brogdon), Magic (Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones), Pistons (Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson), and Hawks (Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Kristaps Porziņģis) made roster upgrades with the additions of impactful players following their postseason appearances.

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“I’ll just reiterate: We’ve got to earn our way back into this thing, man,” Nurse said. “We’ve got to work and earn our way back into getting in the tournament. That’s where we are.”

The Sixers have definitely lowered their expectations, at least publicly. But is that a good sign for a team with three maximum-salary players on the squad running out of relevancy in this city?